Move AspireUpdate dashboard menu to new location OR update documentation to reflect location

[kylek14]

I have checked the following:

• I've searched existing issues and found nothing related to my issue.

Describe the feature you want to add

The plugin menu should be located under either the settings, tools, or plugins menu. The location (Dashboard) of the config menu is not clear in the documentation and required starting up a playground instance to find the menu location.

Mockups or Images of the feature

n/a

[costdev]

@namithj I can't seem to find the discussion that led to the menu item being moved from Settings to Dashboard. Can you link to this discussion for context?

[asirota]

I think it was an arbitrary decision @costdev. There is no really ideal location -- probably Tools is the ideal place from my experience, followed by Settings.

[costdev]

Thanks @asirota!

Since this is configuration rather than an active tool (e.g. importer, plugin/theme file editor, Site Health), I think Settings makes more sense.

We do have the View/Clear Log functionality, which is an active tool and could be split into its own Tools > AspireUpdate Log item. However, to me that seems like a recipe for user confusion and I think the View/Clear Log functionality could continue to be bundled with the configuration.

What do others think?

[afragen]

So it usually ends up in Tools for single site and Settings on multisite.

If we plan on moving the location this is the major consideration.

[namithj]

Wouldn't it be way easier to update documentation to clarify the location of the menu.

I put it under dashboard to keep it together with updates menu and to let users see it first thing when they initially login.

[costdev]

It's useful when they first log in and makes sense in that user flow, so your reasoning there was sound.

However, I think the most common user flow will be Install -> Activate -> Navigate to the settings page. In that regard, it's more about where the user is likely to think that page lives.

• The plugin is mostly about configuring then leaving it alone.
  • ❌ Top-level menu item isn't appropriate.
• It's not an active tool.
  • ❌ Tools isn't appropriate.
• Plugin options aren't usually under Dashboard.
  • ❌ Can be confusing for users, hence this issue's creation.
• It's primarily about configuring settings.
  • ✅ Settings is appropriate.

We could update the documentation to explain the location. However, users shouldn't need documentation just to find the UI. That part should be pretty intuitive for most users.

[namithj]

I am onboard moving it to settings.

[afragen]

This change will effect more more than simply moving the menu. Saving, multisite, etc all tied in.

[namithj]

Can we wait before implementing this. Right now it can be resolved just by better documentation. May be we can put it in the backlog and wait and see if it's required.

[namithj]

It's going to impact the saved settings notices and many other things, right now we have a fairly well tested plugin, we need to decide on the effort vs reward before embarking on it.